The present invention relates to a method for indicating that a text message to be delivered to a subscriber is present in a message central module of a mobile radiotelephone network, wherein the module is provided for the acceptance and delivery of text messages, and the subscriber is registered as a subscriber both in the mobile radiotelephone network and in another communication network.
The above-described text messages are, for example, delivered to a GSM mobile radiotelephone terminal apparatus, within land-supported mobile radiotelephone networks according to the GSM Standard (Global System for Mobile Radiotelephony).
The text messages are also designated by the English term xe2x80x98short message,xe2x80x99 and the corresponding communication service is designated SMS, or short message service. The handling of a GSM mobile radiotelephone terminal apparatus in the acceptance, reading, processing or erasing of text messages is known from, among other sources, the operating instructions for the GSM mobile radiotelephone terminal apparatus S3 of Siemens AG, 1995, pages 24 to 27.
If, in known mobile radiotelephone networks, a short message is received in a message central module provided for the acceptance and delivery of text messages, wherein the message is to be delivered to a particular subscriber, the message central module effects a signaling to the mobile radiotelephone terminal apparatus of the subscriber. Such signaling causes this terminal apparatus to indicate the presence of a message. In the above-cited operating instructions, it is indicated that, given the presence of a message, an information symbol xe2x80x9cixe2x80x9d blinks in the display of the mobile radiotelephone terminal apparatus in order to indicate the presence of a message.
The subscriber can then retrieve the present message as needed, whereupon the message central module causes a communication of the text information to the mobile radiotelephone terminal apparatus of the subscriber. This text information is stored in a memory on the SIM card of the subscriber, and can be displayed on the display of the terminal apparatus.
Both the information concerning the presence of a text message and the text message itself can be communicated from the message central module to the subscriber only if the mobile radiotelephone apparatus of the subscriber is located inside the radio area of the mobile radiotelephone network and is switched ready for operation, and if the energy supply to the terminal apparatus is ensured. This is because the terminal apparatus can be reached within the mobile radiotelephone network only under these conditions such being recognized as reachable within the mobile radiotelephone network in the context of what is called a roaming procedure. The current availability of a subscriber within a mobile radiotelephone network is hereby stored in a database allocated to the subscriber of the mobile radiotelephone network.
If a subscriber to whom a text message present in the message central module is to be delivered cannot be reached within the mobile radiotelephone network, the text message, or the indication of the presence of a text message, is standardly communicated to the mobile, radiotelephone terminal apparatus of the subscriber. This is done as soon as this mobile radiotelephone terminal apparatus can be reached again within the mobile radiotelephone network.
An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a method for indicating the presence of a text message to be delivered in a message central module of a mobile radiotelephone network, wherein a subscriber is also notified of the presence of a text message intended for him even if he is currently not able to be reached in the mobile radiotelephone network.
Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject matter of subclaims.
If, in a message central module of a mobile radiotelephone network intended for receipt and delivery of text messages, there is present a text message that is to be delivered to a subscriber who is registered as a subscriber both in the mobile radiotelephone network of the message central module and in a different communication network, then the message central module introduces steps for the delivery of a communication concerning the presence of this message. In a known manner, it is checked in the mobile radiotelephone network whether the subscriber can be reached within this mobile radiotelephone network. For this purpose, a database, which is allocated to the subscriber and in which the location of the subscriber is stored, of the mobile radiotelephone network is queried, if the subscriber currently can be reached within the mobile radiotelephone network.
According to the present invention, the availability of the subscriber in the other communication network is also stored in the database of the mobile radiotelephone network, and the message central module communicates a message concerning the presence of a text message for the subscriber to a control module of the other communication network. Dependent thereon, this control module causes the displaying of an item of information concerning the presence of a text message at a terminal apparatus allocated to the subscriber within the other communication network.
In this way, it is ensured that a subscriber always receives an indication concerning the presence of a text message if he can be reached in any communication network in which he is registered as a subscriber.
In order to limit the scope of the signaling information to be exchanged between the various communication networks, an embodiment of the inventive method provides that a message concerning the presence of a text message for the subscriber be communicated from the message central module of the mobile radiotelephone network to the control module of the other communication network only when the subscriber cannot be reached within the mobile radiotelephone network.
If, in a further embodiment of the present invention, only the availability in principle, and not the current availability, of the subscriber in the other communication network is stored in the database, allocated to the subscriber, of the mobile radiotelephone network, then a message concerning the presence of a text message for the subscriber is communicated to the control module of the other communication network, independent of whether he can actually be reached at the terminal apparatus of the other communication network. A disadvantage of this constructive form is that unnecessary messages are also transmitted between the communication networks. An advantage of this constructive form of the invention is that the subscriber receives an indication concerning the presence of a text message as soon as he can be reached in the other communication network, even if he could not be reached at the time of the transmission of the message concerning the presence of a text message to the control module.
The quantity of messages to be transmitted between the message central module of the mobile radiotelephone network and the control module of the other communication network can be reduced in that, in a further constructive form of the inventive method, the message central module communicates a message only when the availability of the subscriber in the other communication network has been recognized by the message central module.
An advantageous embodiment of the inventive method with respect to the reduction of an unnecessary exchange of messages between the mobile radiotelephone network and the other communication network provides that the current availability of the subscriber in the other communication network is stored in the database, allocated to the subscriber, of the mobile radiotelephone network. This can, for example, take place in that the other communication network communicates the current availability of the subscriber in the other communication network to the mobile radiotelephone network in the form of a message. Alternatively, the message central module of the mobile radiotelephone network can cause a check of the current availability of the subscriber in the other communication network, given the presence of a text message to be delivered to the subscriber.
The actual delivery of a text message to the subscriber typically takes place upon the request of the subscriber. The message central module thereby can deliver the text message, for example within the mobile radiotelephone network, to the mobile radiotelephone terminal apparatus of the subscriber whose availability was previously determined. However, it is also possible for the message central module of the mobile radiotelephone network to deliver the text message upon request of the subscriber to a data terminal apparatus of the subscriber via a different communication network. e.g., a data network.
The sending of short messages to the message central module of a mobile radiotelephone network is known from, among other sources, the article xe2x80x9cKurznachrichten mit dem PC versenden,xe2x80x9d Funkschau 17/1996, pages 50 to 52. Here, various systems are indicated for the transmission to a message central module of a mobile radiotelephone network, e.g. via a modem and the public telephone network or via the Internet, of short messages to be delivered to some subscriber. The delivery of messages to a subscriber is possible in analogous fashion from the message central module via a suitable communication network to a computer.
A further embodiment of the inventive method provides that, after the delivery of a text message, the message central module of the mobile radiotelephone network communicates a confirmation message to the control module of the other communication network, if a message concerning the presence of a text message for the subscriber was previously communicated to this control module. In this way, it is prevented that the presence of already-requested messages is displayed.
For the case in which the subscriber to whom a short message is to be delivered is available both in the mobile radiotelephone network and also in the other communication network with the aid of a terminal apparatus that can be switched between wireless operation and mobile radiotelephone operation, a development of the inventive method provides that the terminal apparatus operating in wireless operation switches over automatically to mobile radiotelephone mode after the receipt of an item of information concerning the presence of a text message.
An embodiment of such an inventive method provides that the terminal apparatus is switched over to mobile radiotelephone mode only if it is not in transceive operation and that, if the terminal apparatus is in transceive operation upon receipt of an item of information concerning the presence of a text message in wireless operating mode, the apparatus is switched over to mobile radiotelephone mode after termination of this transceive operation.
The displaying of an item of information concerning the presence of a text message can take place at the terminal apparatus allocated to the other communication network; e.g., visually by means of a display symbol of a display unit, by the display of a corresponding text, by the illumination of a lamp, and/or by a corresponding spoken announcement. The control module of the other communication network therein causes the communication of an item of control information, typically in the form of a message, to the terminal apparatus. The type of message is hereby dependent on the type of communication network and is known in principle.
The other communication network can, for example, be another mobile radiotelephone network, a stationary telephone network with, either a fixedly wired terminal apparatus or a wireless terminal apparatus, or a data network with a data terminal apparatus.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments and the Description of the Drawings.